It is an offence to demand full payment of fees in SHS – Nyamekye-Marfo

Sunyani, Sept. 24, GNA – Mr Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo, Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, on Monday said it was offence for Heads of Senior High Schools (SHS) to demand full payment of fees at the beginning of an academic year. He said such demands were against the Ghana Education Service Act and heads of institutions involved in the practice should stop or appropriate sanctions would be taken against them. Mr Nyamekye-Marfo gave the warning when handing over 13 buses and six pick-ups to some SHSs in the Region in Sunyani. He noted that parents went through difficulties to raise funds to cater for their children’s education and such practices by some heads of institutions put pressure on them. Mr Nyamekye-Marfo emphasised that government was poised to make access to education comfortable to everyone and asked parents to report headmasters and headmistresses who demanded full payment of fees from them to the metropolitan, municipal and district directorates of education. He noted that such demands from educational authorities tended to hinder government’s efforts to improve academic performance and quality of education. On the proposed free SHS education, the Brong Ahafo Regional Minister said the implementation of the policy was not feasible because of the lack of infrastructure and other educational facilities. Mr Nyamekye-Marfo said if care was not taken and the policy was implemented, other sectors of the economy would be affected. He explained that what was important now in the country’s education delivery was to make SHS education accessible to all through the provision of adequate school infrastructure, computer laboratories, libraries, as well as accommodation for teachers. “What we need to think about as a nation is how to create sound and conducive atmosphere for education to thrive,” Mr Nyamekye-Marfo stated. Dr George Adjei-Hinneh, Brong-Ahafo Regional Director of Education, thanked the Government, Ministry of Education and the Brong Ahafo Regional Coordinating Council for the buses which would bring a big relief to some heads of the schools who used commercial vehicles and taxis for their administrative work. He gave the assurance that the Regional Directorate would play its supervisory role effectively to ensure that the buses were used for the intended purposes. Dr Adjei-Hinneh said the Directorate in collaboration with the Driver Vehicle and Licensing Authority (DVLA) would organise a workshop for all the drivers in the SHSs to update their driving skills.